When you visit Downtown Disney on your next trip, don’t forget to stop by “Once Upon a Toy”. It is a huge of store that every child dreams of – Disney themed toys and gadgets everywhere. There are several things that offer “hands-on” play stations.

One of the stations has Mr. Potato Head. Here your child can create their own Mr. or Mrs. Potato Head with a wide array of accessories to choose from. These are accessories that you will not find anywhere else, other than at Walt Disney World. The themes include, but are not limited to Star Wars, Buzz Lightyear, Perry the Platypus, Goofy, Princesses, and so much more. There are balloons, eyes, blasters, helmets, funny shoes, ears, glasses, smiles, duckbills, etc. to go along with their new creation. There are so many bins and trays overflowing with parts. Everything is laid out for the children to easily access – very open, clean and easy to see all of the options. You all will have so much fun playing and creating.

Your child can have fun creating his/her own special Potato Head that they will always remember as being a special keepsake from their trip. The store offers 2 types of containers to bring home your potato and its accessories. Now you don’t have to buy the potato – if you choose not to buy the potato that will give you extra room in the box for more goodies! The box may be filled to the top, but must be able to be closed. This box is only $19.95. There is also a large plastic Mr. Potato Head case that you can purchase for $46.95.

If you have any questions and would like to use a planner for free – contact me at Robyn@travelwiththemagic.com or call me directly at 1-800-670-4312 ext 125. I have an unexplained passion for Disney and making sure that everyone is getting the most that they can out of every visit!

This attraction is by far one of my favorites throughout all of Disney! My family does Mickey’s Philharmagic several times every time we visit Magic Kingdom. It is located in Fantasyland, just beside Peter Pan’s Flight, and it opened in 2003. It does offer Disney’s Fastpass, although I have never needed it here.

When waiting in line, you will come to the bin containing the yellow 3D glasses for you to pick up. Once you have these in hand, you will be shown to a holding area just before entering the theater. When you are able to walk into the theater, the screen will be on your left, so as you are looking at the doors to the theater, the further to the left you stand, the closer you will be able to get to the front. I personally think the best location for the 3D effects is in the middle of rows 5-7, although of course you will be asked to move all the way down the row before choosing a seat.

This show features the largest seamless projection screen in the world, at 150 feet long and 28 feet high. It is almost a full 180 degrees when the show is in full effect, needless to say, it is pretty awesome! The entire show is about 12 minutes. I do not want to spoil the show for you by telling you everything that happens, but many of the classic Disney characters will make an appearance! The effects during the show, besides the 3D, include wind, water and smell (which smells delicious).

My daughters have been watching this show since my oldest was one. Neither of them have ever been scared at any time, they have always loved it. I have heard on many occasions, some young toddlers cry due to being scared. If you are going for the first time with a young toddler, I would recommend starting out sitting on the far right side of the theater. So when you are entering, go all the way down the row as far as possible. Let your child begin wearing the glasses, and if they act scared, I have seen many kids not wearing glasses at all, and still enjoyed it. All the 3D effects are fun things, nothing scary. At the very end of the show, Donald Duck appears to fly out of the screen using the 3D effects, but then you will hear a crash behind you. When you turn around, you will see that Donald has crashed into the back wall. He will kick his feet, but then give up and “fall into the wall” where he can not be seen. The reason that I tell you this part is because this is the part that usually bothers the most kids from what I have seen. This is the reason I recommended you to sit on the far right side of the theater, so your child will not be close to it and you can exit quickly if needed. It seems that the young kids do not understand this part, and they think he is stuck and hurt, so that is why some kids do not like it. I told both my kids when they were younger that this was going to happen, and they laughed when they saw it, since they were expecting it. I hope this information has helped anyone who is traveling with small kids, as I feel this is a Must Do in the parks!

If you would like to learn more about Mickey’s Philharmagic Show, or would like a free, no obligation travel quote, contact me at casey@travelwiththemagic.com

Do you know what draws people to the Animal Kingdom? It is their majestic safari ride! If you have not experienced this, you must add it to your “things to do” list on your next trip!

The entrance to the Kilimanjaro Safaris is located in the back left hand corner of the park. I suggest that you head here first, as soon as you enter the park. The animals are always out for viewing but I can tell you that they will be more visible before the hot sun gets too high.

As you get ready to embark on this wonderful journey through the savanna, you will board a large open-aired cargo jeep. The ride does get bumpy, but that just adds to the excitement for the kids. Your driver/tour guide does a wonderful job making sure that you can see everything the savanna has to offer. He/She will take their time meandering their way along the trail, giving you plenty of opportunities to feel like a photographer for National Geographic. So don’t forget you camera!

I have experienced this safari ride over 20 times, and I always see something new. Whether it is 2 baby elephants playing in the water, an ostrich roosting on its nest, or an antelope chasing a giraffe – the safari ride is always an adventure! The drivers do an incredible job pointing out and describing the wildlife with a wide variety of facts and tidbits that help to make this a learning experience for the kids!

Disney has done a great job with enticing the animals to stay more visible throughout the day. If you see a log or a tree stump, the trainers are using that as a feeding bin. This keeps the giraffes, wildebeests, antelopes, cattle, and zebras closer to the trial for viewing.

As you leave the safari adventure, don’t forget to take a walk through the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Here you can see even more wildlife up close. This is a walking tour that takes you through the shade of the forest with several viewing areas along the way of the okapis, hippos, and gorillas. This is another chance for you to get some great pictures of the wildlife.

While walking through the Pangani Forest, your children can have the opportunity to participate in the Kids Discovery Club. The Kids Discovery Club is a time when one of the animal trainers will take time to teach the children about the variety of wildlife, their behaviors, eating habits, and more. In the picture below, my son and his friend are honing in on some tracking skills – trying to find a rhino.

So the next time you visit the Animal Kingdom, don’t forget to take some time for the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. You will have a great time roaming through the savanna and watching the animals in their own environment, interacting with each other.

If you have any questions and would like to use a planner for free – contact me at Robyn@travelwiththemagic.com or call me directly at 1-800-670-4312 ext 125. I have an unexplained passion for Disney and making sure that everyone is getting the most that they can out of every visit!